Thursday, June 9, 2011

Progress

This . . .

is what we have been working on around here. Chad has been mastering riding his bike without training wheels. He's been ready for a long time. The thing is, he is so resistant to change, especially any change that may involve him getting hurt. But, when we were camping over Memorial Day weekend, my sister in law and I took off the training wheels (for I swear the umpteenth time) and worked with Chad to go on his own. He took off from his first try. Now, I have been working with and encouraging him to go over the curbs, turn a corner, ride for long distances, and start on his own. He is making Progress. In fact, I'm really proud of how well he is doing. His confidence seems to grow by leaps each day. It's been fun, too, to see and hear others encourage him. Just yesterday, while Chad was riding by to go to the park, a neighbor his age called out, "Go Chad! That's awesome!" I could hear him telling his mom that Chad was riding without training wheels and she joined in the cheers for him as well. He was grinning from ear to ear. It totally boosted his confidence. He had been really nervous, as I was making him ride in the road to a park, about a mile away, for lunch. That bit of encouragement was all he needed to muster the courage to make it to his goal. Today, he is begging me to let him ride to the park again.

I never realized that as a mother, I would feel peer pressure. I have felt so much pressure to have this kid riding without training wheels. The truth is, he was the one in control of this decision. And until he was ready, he was not going to do it. I did plenty of encouraging, which was necessary, and Chad put up plenty of resistance. But he made slow and steady progress to reach his goal.

As a mother, often the progress I make is slow, or small, or undone at the end of the day. When I look at the small picture, I often feel that I am not making any progress at all. But when I step back, and look at the last 6 months, or the last year, I can see where I have made progress. I got to thinking where I have grown this year.

Love and Logic-I took a class. I am a better parent; less impatient, I show more love to my childrenWeight Watchers-I have lost nearly 40 lbs. Running-I ran my first 5-K, and then anotherLife/Motherhood-I have been focusing more on what really matters; I'm trying to be more flexibleDebt-I have paid off $16,374.22 since January (Okay, Dave helped too :))

It's progress. But it takes me (and you) reflecting back over time to really notice it. And just like Chad, I have had plenty of resistance (often from myself). And I also have had wonderful encouragement to keep me going. Sure, it's easy to get overwhelmed when I realize how much progress I still need to make. I have a lot of areas to work on. But it will come, just like it did for Chad. Thanks, kiddo, for being such a good example!

What are you working on to improve in your life? Look back and see how far you've come. (Be patient. Sometimes, it takes a while. Afterall, 40 lbs. in a year is less than a pound a week, but it still adds up to 40 lbs.)

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Count Your Many Blessings

1. Running! It is my therapy, clears my head, and is one thing I get to prioritize just for myself.

2. Date Night! I need the break and I love that it gives Dave and I a chance to remember why we fell in love in the first place.

3. Chubby baby hands-I know that these days are so fleeting so I'm trying to enjoy the moments before they are gone.

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Disclaimer

I write when I can, as often as I can with 4 busy kiddos. My work is not error free, and usually reflects the best moments of our day. There are plenty of tantrums, failed attempts, and mishaps around here too-I call them "reality check moments". Look for them at the end of some of my posts. Hope you enjoy your visit-come back now and then to see what's new.